Leptochiton quitoense

[euplusia]

There are only 2 species within this genus, the golden yellow L. helianthus and this one. They belong to Amaryllidaceae and are closely related to Hymenocallis. Some of you may know the Cahaba lily, Hymenocallis coronaria.
This plant is much more dainty and brings only one flower per bulb, that opens for the night and blooms one day and one more night before it withers. Flowers are fairly big, about 15 cm in diameter.
The natural habitat are the lowlands of Peru and Ecuador along the Pacific coast. The area is seasonally flooded. There are dwelling mounds for the cattle.
The growing requirements are extreme. The dry season lasts about 6 months, from November until May. Then when with the warmth and first careful waterings the soft green leaves come to light, regular watering and fertilizing with my orchid water never ceases until in late autumn the leaves wither. Then I put the pot under a table and completely stop watering.
I grow one bulb successfully for 25 years now and finally managed to get 2 bulbs and 2 flowers this year in August and September.
Needless to say that I am proud of this rarity. It took 25 years to exactly identify this plant. It is mentioned in the net in the Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum, and as it is reported to be self-fertile, I think I can risk pollination.

[Bud]

Pristine and lovely....it must be fragrant since it is in the lily family....

[Paul]

Congratulations on your success!

[WhiteRabbit]

Gorgeous!

[RosieC]

Cool!

[Island Girl]

Congratulations on getting that second bulb!! That flower is wonderful! It's so unique, I really love it! (Unique - @ least compared to any flowers I've ever seen) Please post a picture of the seed capsule, once you've pollinated it, & awhile after, so we can see how it looks while its developing, because I'd like to see what that looks like! Is it fragrant like Lilies?

[euplusia]

It should be fragrant at night, but I missed to go there again and check it out.

[Luar]

Congratulations for flowering this beautiful amaryllid. Thank you for sharing the gorgeous photos and information on the natural habitat. The information I have gathered from on-line websites suggests that L. quitoense grows in coastal areas around Guayaquil, Ecuador and northern Peru, between 20 m and 200 m above sea level. I did not know that the habitats where the bulbs grow are subject to seasonal flooding. What time of year does the species flower in the wild? You mentioned that you have had the original bulb for 25 years and it has now managed to flower.... Did you raise the bulb from seed? You must be a very patient person waiting 25 years for the first flowering but I am sure you patience is paid for.

Please keep us informed of any development of seed, etc.

A couple of years ago, I received a small bulb from a university in Switzerland but the bulb arrived completely squashed.

[euplusia]

I got this plant as a mature bulb. It flowered annually over the years. Well maybe not every year, but in the majority.
Flowering season in Ecuador is January.
Many years ago I gave seed to a friend and now he came to me and told me that he had raised 5 or 6 plants, that flowered now for the first time. But I cannot remember where exactly the seed came from and what it is. So I asked him to check this thread. I will get an answer soon.
In the meantime a welcome to Hong Kong. Are you orchid addicted as well?

[Luar]

Vielen Danke! I am in fact a bulb collector and maintain a large collection of bulbous plants. It is your post of Leptochiton quitoense which draws my attention to this group and signing up to become an on-line member. I travel to South America and Africa to observe and take notes of wild plants. Yet, I have also got a small collection of orchids, mainly Cattleyas, Stanhopeas, Gongoras, Paphiopedilum, etc. What are your main interests in orchids? From time to time, I swap with growers in other parts of the world.